The Seto Inland Sea: Ikuchijima

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They rise gracefully from this protected, stormless sea, as if they had just emerged ...

~ Donald Richie

Hiroshima prefecture is quite the diverse area, as I imagine a lot of Japan is. You can drive an hour or so, and be far in the mountains, or drive an hour the other way, and reach the water. This past weekend I went to visit my friend Heather, Heather of the Island... of Innoshima (for those of you who are Anne of Green Gables fans, you'll appreciate this reference).

However, the big highlight of the weekend was taking a five-minute ferry ride from Innoshima to the island of Ikuchijima.

Ikuchijima is a citrus-blessed island, and spots of orange and yellow can be seen everywhere, along with palm trees that dot the shore of the island. It was a slightly chilly, yet clear spring day, in which we biked around the shoreline. Along the way, we stopped at the temple complex of Kosanji, which is described as a technicolour, Disneyland-like attraction.

Kosanji is dedicated to Kosanji's mother, and is a collection of replicas of some of the most well-known temples in Japan. The area now has about 10 halls, 3 towers, 4 gates, an underground cave, and a gigantic statue of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy.

I think one of the most interesting parts of Kosanji was the underground cave, as it can be described like a path to enlightment. You are first faced with the horrors of hell, with very graphic pictures. You also come across multi-tiered spaces of Buddhas, and waterfalls. The eerie atmosphere of being underground is added to by the quietness of the passage. Towards the end of the tunnel, you reach pictures depicting a peaceful, heaven-like atmosphere. You exit the tunnel staring up at the huge statue of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy.

After this area, you can go and explore the area of the Hill of Hope, which reminded me of the Emerald City of Oz, except constructed from white marble. Here, there are numerous odd-shaped sculptures, and a delightful Italian restaurant, with delicious pizza and lemon soda (perhaps the path of enlightenment is worth the struggle afterall!)

Just around the corner from Kosanji is the Hirayama Ikuo Museum of Art. Hirayama grew up on the island, and has travelled the world, yet still gains inspiration for many of his paintings from the Inland Sea area. I was quite excited to buy a couple of prints depicting the shrine at Miyajima and the Innoshima Bridge, which I have crossed on the bus to visit Heather.

After spending more time in the area, I can see why the Inland Sea and its islands has captured the hearts of, and inspired writers and artists alike.

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Photos

The Main Hall of Kosanji
Modelled after other famous temples in Japan, the temples of Kosanji are colourful and incredibly detailed.

Roof Top Detail
No detail was spared in Kosanji's quest to build the ultimate memorial to his mother!

Garden Statues
I enjoyed the moss and look of these statues. Often you will see coins near Buddhas, that people have left as offerings.

Have Mercy!
A larger than life, 15 metre representation of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy

Cave of a Thousand Buddhas
This underground pathway gave quite the eerie feeling, as it was filled with silence, darkness, and many, many Buddhas.

The Valley of Hell
Part of the underground pathway was lined with pictures like this, depicting scenes from hell. Where's Kannon when you need her?!

Tiers of Buddha
My favourite part of the passageway were the areas that opened up to many tiers of Buddhas, sometimes accented with waterfalls.

The Hill of Hope
An area of Kosanji with an Italian flair, created by famous Japanese sculptor Kazuto Kuetani, sculpted all from white marble. Also known as "Colle Della Speranza" it features numerous sculptures. The main one in the centre is called the "Tower of Light."

Flame of the Future
This sculpture is known as "Flame of the Future." The entire area is 10 000 square metres of Italian marble.

Budding Sakura
Sakura, or cherry blossoms, are the "it" flower of Japan. As Ikuchijima is a slightly warmer area, it was hoped that the flowers would be in full bloom by this weekend. However, it was a tad bit early!

Suteishi of the Island
Although it was a tiring journey, the bike ride around Ikuchijima was lovely! The Seto Inland Sea area consists of a number of islands, connected by numerous, stunning bridges, like the one seen in the background.

Comments

[J'aime]

OOOOOOOOh Sakura
Glad you made the trip to see the not so budding cherry blossoms.. perhaps you could just eat a kitkat cherry blossom and call it a day?? hehehe kiddding! those gates of hell.. let me tell ya.. exactly how i imagined them.. very colourful!